After a vehicle collided with a block of flats just outside Birmingham, Allcott Commercial was able to rapidly respond to the estate manager’s request for a structural engineer to attend site at the earliest opportunity.
Just hours later, our lead structural engineer was on the scene to assess the extent of the damage, make the site safe and advise on the remedial works required.
The car in question drove uncontrolled through the car park, hit a bay window and finally crashed into a brick wall. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the incident, but there were serious implications for the structural safety of the building.
Within hours, we were on site to carry out an emergency inspection. We were able to identify areas of the damaged wall that needed removing immediately, and we were able to supervise that removal while on site. We also advised on cordoning off further damaged areas, and provided plans for temporary structures to rapidly reinstate use of the entrance while a full rebuild of the brickwork was being arranged.
In such circumstances, our priority is to ensure that the property is secure and that any temporary measures to safeguard the property are put in place as soon as possible. Our structural engineers immediately advise the safety team on any urgent action that needs to be taken, and follow that up with a written summary straight after the visit. Where remedial works are required, a report will often initially be prepared in sketch format, to enable the works to be procured and carried out at the earliest opportunity; detailed reports follow within the next days.
Our experience in rapid responses to structural damage means that we can advise whether temporary measures can be used to quickly make a building safe and functional. We can also recommend ‘off the shelf’ or proprietary products that can be used to enable the works to be carried out faster, when appropriate.
